Medusa’s story looks at crimes against women: Uma Thurman

New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) Hollywood actress Uma Thurman, who plays Greek mythological character Medusa in the much-awaited film “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”, says there is pathos in the story of this woman who was punished for her own rape. “If you really look into the story, it is interesting because she (Medusa) is a woman who has been punished for her own rape. This has nothing to do with the film ‘Percy Jackson’, but on a greater level her story looks at the crimes perpetrated against women. She is very relevant,” Thurman said during a media interaction on e-mail.

“I went online and I did some research about Medusa to get an idea about the character. I thought her story was very interesting and quite sad. I think all of western injustices can be followed back to the Greek myths,” she added.

Medusa was a priestess of Greek goddess Athena and was known for having extremely beautiful hair. Once when she was worshipping in the temple of Athena, sea-god Poseidon took a liking to her and ravished and abused her for his pleasure.

Athena didn’t like her lover Poseidon’s interest in another woman and took revenge upon the offended maiden by damning her to immortality and loneliness and giving her a head of snakes. Should Medusa ever seek company from anyone, they would turn to stone, deemed Athena.

“I thought there was a very nice kind of pathos in this story… she was just a sort of sad, empty and lost monster,” said Thurman.

“What is interesting about the Greek gods is that they are very flawed. Each one of them has a strength and each one of them has a weakness. They have lust, they have jealousy and very often they have a vindictive side,” she added.

Despite having a cameo of sorts, the 39-year-old claims to have jazzed up the monster’s character.

The film will hit Indian screens Feb 19. Distributed in the US by 20th Century Fox, it will be presented in India by Fox Star Studios India.

A big-screen adaptation of “The Lightning Thief”, the first novel in the “Percy Jackson & The Olympians” series by Rick Riordan, the film has been directed by Chris Columbus.

Thurman was also gaga over working with Columbus.

“I think like some other very talented people that I have had the pleasure to work with, he’s a real visionary and his imagination is extraordinary. The way he worked was absolutely compelling, beautiful and inspiring. The way he treated me was fantastic. He is one of the kindest directors I have ever worked with by far and I would do anything to work with him again,” she said.